Korea's Fight for Freedom eBook

Were this an isolated instance, it would scarcely
be necessary to mention it. But what I heard
on all sides went to show that in a large number of
fights in the country the Japanese systematically killed
all the wounded and all who surrendered themselves.
This was not so in every case, but it certainly was
in very many. The fact was confirmed by the Japanese
accounts of many fights, where the figures given of
Korean casualties were so many killed, with no mention
of wounded or prisoners. In place after place
also, the Japanese, besides burning houses, shot numbers
of men whom they suspected of assisting the rebels.
War is war, and one could scarcely complain at the
shooting of rebels. Unfortunately much of the
killing was indiscriminate, to create terror.

I returned to Seoul. The Japanese authorities
evidently decided that it would not be advisable to
arrest me for travelling in the interior without a
passport. It was their purpose to avoid as far
as possible any publicity being given to the doings
of the Righteous Army, and to represent them as mere
bands of disorderly characters, preying on the population.
They succeeded in creating this opinion throughout
the world.

But as a matter of fact the movement grew and grew.
It was impossible for the Koreans to obtain arms;
they fought without arms. In June, 1908, nearly
two years afterwards, a high Japanese official, giving
evidence at the trial of Mr. Bethell before a specially
convened British court at Seoul, said that about 20,000
troops were then engaged in putting down the disturbances,
and that about one-half of the country was in a condition
of armed resistance. The Koreans continued their
fight until 1915, when, according to Japanese official
statements, the rebellion was finally suppressed.
One can only faintly imagine the hardships these mountaineers
and young men of the plains, tiger hunters, and old
soldiers, must have undergone. The taunts about
Korean “cowardice” and “apathy”
were beginning to lose their force.

X

THE LAST DAYS OF THE KOREAN EMPIRE

Prince Ito—­he was made Prince after the
abdication of Yi Hyeung—­was Resident-General
of Korea from 1906 to 1908, and was followed by Viscount
Sone, who carried on his policies until 1910.
Ito is still remembered as the best of the Japanese
administrators.

He had an exceedingly difficult task. He had
to tear up an ancient administration by the roots,
and substitute a new. This could not fail to
be a painful process. He had the best and the
worst instincts of a nation aroused against him, the
patriotism and loyalty of the Korean people, and also
their obstinacy and apathy. He was hampered by
the poor quality of many of the minor officials who
had to carry out his orders and still more by the
character of the settlers from his own land. The
necessities of Japanese Imperial policy compelled
the infliction of much injustice on the Korean people.